from our own correspondant in sidney

Australian mine turns solar

Only few months ago Australia had very little to be proud in terms of renewable energy. International critics came from every part of the world due to the low commitment over renewable energy. Today the state of New South Wales has a news to share that shows the new commitment of the nation towards a cleaner energy source.

Since my arrival in Australia I have often wondered why Australia, known as one of the sunniest places on Earth, was so dependant on coal for their energy. The Clean Energy Council report calculated that in 2014 only 2% of the national energy came from solar power and an 87% came from fossil fuels. Following months of public protests however, something has been moving and now, it is time to celebrate a second big conquer after the blockade of the huge Carmichael Mine in Queensland.

The city of Broken Hill, in New South Wales, is proud to be the host of the second biggest solar farm in Australia, only preceded by the Greenough River solar farm in Western Australia.
Broken Hill has always been known a the “silver mining city” being the birthplace of the BHP proprietary, hence such a transformation has to be highlighted. This new solar farm is able to produce 52 Megawatt and has been constructed in only 10 months’ time. Since the beginning of the project there has been new job opportunities and community development. Yearly this energy source can support 17.000 households. As well said by Esther La Rovere, a co-owner of one of the biggest hotels in Broken Hill: “We’ve been so rich underground, we shouldn’t ignore what we have above ground”.
It seems obvious how important is the role and the position of leaders and politicians in this field. Indeed, following the fall of Tony Abbott and the reposition of new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Australia has witnessed a rise in climate-friendly actions, higher interests and funding over cleaner energy. The pathway to 100% renewables is long and steep as Australia is still preceded by 19 countries worldwide, but today, it is important to celebrate one of the biggest solar farms in the Southern Hemisphere.